Conservatory Facts

Perform at the Highest Level

On the stage, in the classroom or clinic, and beyond!

Experience the world-renowned Shenandoah Conservatory. Study with master teachers – more than 100 professionals in music, theatre, dance, and performing arts leadership and management. Embrace extensive performance opportunities with top-tier facilities from theatres, concert halls and dance studios. Unite with fellow artists and join an alumni family that takes center stage from Broadway to the concert halls of Europe.

Go beyond the stage and take your artistry into the community, classroom, clinic and more. Immerse yourself in research with faculty scholars dedicated to mentorship and the advancement of their creative professions. Cultivate, practice and apply your professional skills through regional, national and international service experiences, training programs, and conferences.

Fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Shenandoah Conservatory offers degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, artist diploma and doctoral levels and produces more than 400 performances each year. Enroll in a dynamic curriculum and start preparing for a meaningful career in the arts.

Why Shenandoah Conservatory?

Frances Beard

Centreville, Virginia

I visited Shenandoah a couple of years ago to audition for Governor's School. I was able to drive around campus and realized how pretty it is. When I decided to major in music therapy, Shenandoah was one of only a few in the state that had this degree. It was an “oh my gosh” moment when I realized that I’d already been to Shenandoah and I already loved it. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, forming new bonds and traveling on mission trips through Spiritual Life.

Why Shenandoah Conservatory?

Shannon Giles

Class of 2016

Shenandoah offers an amazing opportunity for aspiring dancers to train under a diverse faculty, all pushing your boundaries to the limit. The amount of performance opportunities offered are tremendous, and even as an underclassman, I've performed way more than I ever thought. Shenandoah Dance is definitely a place to grow, explore, and learn!

Why Shenandoah Conservatory?

Elizabeth McDowell

Class of 2018

Studying music, especially performance, is not always easy, but having the right school and right people around you make a world of difference. At Shenandoah, I’ve developed my skills as a performer and watched how great professors influence their students. My career goal is to become a concert pianist and a college professor. I am eager to see what my future holds, and the role that Shenandoah will have in taking me there.

Why Shenandoah Conservatory?

Jacob Moyer

Class of 2017

During my undergraduate college search, the quality of Shenandoah’s faculty made the conservatory stand out from the rest of the pack. My professors’ level of musicianship inspires me, and it is a privilege to study and perform with them. Shenandoah is helping me prepare to meet my goal of performing in a major symphony orchestra by giving me performance experience in a variety of ensembles.

Why Shenandoah Conservatory?

Maya Lončar

Class of 2018

I have had some amazing professors, and I am honestly amazed by the amount of theory and technique that I learned in just three semesters. I started with no knowledge of theory, ear training, or even any piano playing. Now I have become somewhat of a professional amateur in all three of those areas. I’m grateful to be around so many students who are as passionate and dedicated to their instruments as I am!

Admission to Shenandoah Conservatory is highly competitive.

Not only must students be academically admissible, they must also complete and pass the mandatory audition/portfolio review and interview process. Audition dates are limited and may fill and close well in advance of the audition date.

Conservatory Faculty

Caring and Accomplished

Shenandoah Conservatory’s prestigious faculty is dynamic, creative, and passionately committed to the highest levels of artistic excellence. A deeply caring community, they mentor students with a wealth of professional expertise, balancing rigorous expectations with compassion and wisdom. At Shenandoah, you will study with, and perform for, award-winning composers, Metropolitan Opera singers, Grammy Award winning conductors and international competition winners. You will learn from leading scholars in music and premiere works created by accomplished dance artists and cutting-edge directors. Shenandoah Conservatory’s faculty embodies the highest levels of professional accomplishment and the deepest commitment to furthering the artistic growth and creative aspirations of students in every discipline.

En Lin Qing ’18 was accepted to the MPS Fashion Photography graduate program at the New York School of Visual Arts (SVA). Qing served as the Dance Division photographer for several years and his ... Continue Reading Qing Accepted to MPS Fashion…

We're an All-Steinway School

Great music stirs the heart and inspires the soul, and Steinway pianos are celebrated as the instruments used by renowned artists to cultivate their talent and produce great music. Similarly, uncompromising excellence in performing arts education sparks the imagination and inspires the future.